Keep Moving On
by melzx03
Summary: Meiling escapes her terrible marriage and finds comfort in the man she loved before. MT fic DISCONTINUED
1. Keep Moving On

A/N: I'm not dead. I'm just a little late on updates, so yay a one-shot! Song-fic of "Two Beds and a Coffee Machine" by Savage Garden. It's a really nice song, so download it! I'll get the other stories up soon so...yeah. on with the fic.

_And she takes another step  
slowly she opens the door  
check that he is sleeping  
pick up all the broken glass  
and furniture on the floor  
_

Meiling woke up from a restless sleep, eyes immediately darting to the door where her husband slept soundly.

_'Why the hell can't he do that in the evening?'_

Meiling opened the door anyway just to double-check. There he was. It was him she was arranged to marry when Syaoran married Sakura without the elders' consent. That's right, she was to suffer for her cousin's mistake.

Making her way to the living room she picked up glass shards and chunks of wood, wincing at the sight of blood on some. She gathered all the pieces she could and dumped them carefully into the trash can.

_been up half the night screaming  
now it's time to get away  
pack up the kids in the car  
another bruise to try and hide  
another alibi to write  
_

She carefully snuck into her eldest daughter's bedroom. She gently shook the five-year-old from her slumber.

"Mommy?" she whispered groggily, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes, Yuki, it's Mommy..." Meiling whispered back. "Look, we have to get out of here. Help me wake up your brother. I'm going to get your sister."

"Ok..." her daughter pulled on a jacket, looking at her mother with her own ruby pair of eyes. "But where are we going, mommy?"

Meiling paused from pulling on her own coat. _Where could they go?_ She sighed carefully. "I don't know, but we'll find somewhere..."

Yuki nodded and ran into her brother's room. Meiling tiptoed into her youngest child's room. Brushing away the hair in front of her face, she picked up the baby girl, shushing when she started to stir. She made her way to the car where her other daughter and only son were already sitting. Yuki sat up straight, red eyes wide with fear. Little Rei, on the other hand, yawned and rubbed his eyes, still groggy. Meiling handed baby Ayumi over to Yuki and ran silently back into her bathroom, only grabbing necessities and pulling her purse with her. She jumped into the car and drove off.

_another ditch in the road  
you keep moving  
another stop sign  
you keep moving on  
and the years go by so fast  
wonder how I ever made it through  
_

Meiling didn't know where she was going. The only thing she knew was to get away from that place. Soon she zoned out, and by the time she focused again, she was in unfamiliar territory.

_'Where the hell am I supposed to go now?'_

She pulled over on the side of the road to think all of this through.

_  
and there are children to think of  
baby's asleep in the back seat  
wonder how they'll ever make it  
through this living nightmare  
but the mind is an amazing thing  
full of candy dreams and new toys  
and another cheap hotel  
two beds and a coffee machine  
but there are groceries to buy  
and she knows she'll have to go home  
_

Meiling pulled at her hair, frustrated. She leaned back in her seat.

_'Tomoyo...Eriol...Sakura...Hell, even Syaoran...'_ she squeezed her eyes shut to avoid tears. Because of her marriage to...that monster...she couldn't be with the love of her life. She wasn't going to let it stand in her way anymore. She needed to see him.

_  
another ditch in the road  
you keep moving  
another stop sign  
you keep moving on  
and the years go by so fast  
wonder how I ever made it through_

Meiling was going over the speed limit but she didn't care. She finally made her way to the apartment building she knew so well. She parked the car and ushered her kids out of the car, taking Rei and Yuki's hands while Yuki used her free arm to carry Ayumi. The tiny family made their way into the elevator. Meiling pushed the number 9 and soon they were in front of his door. Meiling's hand shook as she rang the doorbell._  
  
another bruise to try and hide  
another alibi to write  
another lonely highway in the black of night  
there's hope in the darkness  
I know you're gonna make it  
_

The door slowly opened to reveal the love of her life. The only man she ever wanted to be with. Course, he looked terrible, hair flying all over the place, eyes bloodshot, and counting from the stench of alcohol and his ghostly appearance, obviously not taking very good care of himself. His chocolate brown eyes shot open, eyes shining with new tears.

"Mei..." he murmured.

"Touya..." she whispered back, releasing the hands of her charges and throwing them around his neck. He responded and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer and inhaling her scent. She soon pulled away.

"Touya, we need somewhere to stay."

Touya noted the three children and his eyes softened. He nodded and led them inside. He put them all on his large queen-sized bed and tucked them in, kissing them each on the forehead. Soon all three were fast asleep. When he was positive they were in deep sleep, he left the room and closed the door.

Touya made his way to the kitchen where Meiling was making two cups of coffee. When she finished, she gave him one cup. He took it, but used his free hand and caressed her bruised and swollen cheek. His eyes narrowed.

"What the hell did that bastard do to you..."

Meiling said nothing but placed her hand on his.

"It doesn't matter now..." she murmured. "All that matters is that I'm with you now. I managed to get him to sign the divorce forms while he was drunk but not violent...it's over. He gets the house, but it doesn't matter. I get the kids and the car...I'm finally home..."

Touya removed his hand and placed the coffee down. Meiling followed his example and once again wrapped her arms around his neck. He lowered his face to her ear, tears rolling down his face.

"...Welcome home..."

_  
another ditch in the road  
keep moving  
another stop sign  
you keep moving on  
and the years go by so fast  
silent fortress built to last  
wonder how I ever made it_


	2. Flashbacks pt1

The reviewers to the first chapter are to blame for my other neglected fics and starting the second chapter to this fic.

_Keep Moving on  
Chapter 2_

Meiling opened her eyes slowly to unfamiliar surroundings. When she felt the things she was sleeping on start to shift, she nearly screamed, but seeing the sleeping face of her true love, she sighed and relaxed, snuggling closer to him. He, in response, tightened his hold around her waist as she drifted back to her dreams and memories.

_**Flashback…10 years ago**_

_"SYAO-CHAN!" came a female cry._

_Syaoran and Meiling turned around, Syaoran's grim expression softening to a smile, as he caught his girlfriend when she launched herself around him._

_"Ohayo, Sakura…" he murmured, kissing her on the cheek._

_"Am I invisible, Kinomoto??" Meiling automatically demanded._

_With a laugh, Sakura hugged the Chinese girl. "Of course I haven't! Ohayo Meiling-chan!"_

_Meiling hugged her back. "Now that's better." Looking behind Sakura, she gave a wave to Eriol, and Tomoyo, who grinned and waved back. She broke the hug. "Ne, Sakura…"_

_"Hoe?"_

_"Where's Kinomoto-kun?"_

_The two couples shot their partners identical grins. Everyone but the Chinese girl and the Cardmistress's brother noticed how much the girl idolized the older brother, and neither of them noticed the look in Touya's eyes when he looked down on the girl since his breakup with the moon guardian._

_"I made him park the car cuz he called me a monster again," Sakura said with a grin._

_"Sou…ka…" Meiling murmured, not noticing the shadow creeping up behind her._

_"What? Missed me, brat?" _

_She whirled around and glared up at chocolate-brown eyes and messy ebony hair. "You wish, baka."_

_**End flashback**_

It started as such a simple admiration, to a complicated crush. Too bad it would get even more complicated…

_**Flashback…9 years…**_

_"KURA!!! I'm going to go gather the food and stuff for the movie! I'm going to take the shower when I'm done, I don't care if you're still in it or not!"_

_"LESBIAN!!" Sakura cried from the shower, but to Meiling's satisfaction, the water turned off._

_Her loose, black hair trailed behind her as she jumped down the stairs towards the kitchen, and hung in front of her face as she looked over her options in the snack cupboard. Brushing her hair out of her face, annoyed, she mumbled something along the lines of "I'm gonna hack all of you off if you keep in my way…"_

_"I've heard of talking people talking to themselves, or to random objects, but this is the first time I've seen someone talk to their hair" came a joking voice behind her._

_Meiling turned her head and glared at the older Kinomoto sibling, who stood there with that annoying smirk on his face._

_"Hungry?" the smirk spread even wider as he took note on all the chips, sodas, and popcorn she held in her hands. _

_Meiling almost yelled a comeback, but whatever it was caught in her throat, along with her breath as she took note that Kinomoto Touya, Seijuu High heartthrob, was shamelessly before her, topless and clad only in boxers. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she turned her face back to the cupboard, hoping he hadn't noticed her blush._

_"Idiot, Sakura, Tomoyo, and I are gonna watch a movie, and they invited Syaoran and Eriol-kun. This food is for all of us while we watch."_

_"I know…but you should realize you're giving me quite a view, standing like that."_

_Meiling was puzzled, then took note that due to the fact the snack cupboard was pretty low, she had bent down, her behind clad in tight black jeans were exposed for the Kinomoto jerk standing behind her. Blushing once again, she turned around and sent a glare that would've made Syaoran proud._

_"WHY THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO CARRY EVERYTHING FOR ME, TOUYA-CHAN!" she exclaimed, smirking, as she thrust everything into his arms, as he gave a cry of "Oof!" and walked upstairs. "I'm off to take a shower, and if I come back and find nothing on the table in front of the TV, I shall tell Sakura to attack you for me!" she yelled, giving a wink and blowing a kiss. _

_Touya grumbled and set everything on the table._

_"That brat…" he stopped himself, and a genuine smile graced his lips. _

_"…A cute on though…"_

_Sakura bound down the stairs in a pink spaghetti strap top and pink pajama bottoms and screamed "TOUYA PUT ON YOUR CLOTHES NOW!!"_

_Meiling sniggered as she heard Sakura yell at her brother, setting him in line. Grabbing her red tank top, black pajama pants, and her personal shower utensils, she moved into the bathroom. Stripping off her garments, she settled into the shower stall, eyes closed as the hot water trailed down her body._

'Damn…I'm Meiling Li, non-magical member of the Li clan, and I'm in love with my friend's 26-year-old brother…'

_Turning off the water, she dried herself off and pulled on her pajamas. Feeling too lazy to deal with her impossible waist-long hair, she simply made sure it wasn't DRIPPING wet and tied it up into a simple ponytail. She was down the stairs when the doorbell rang._

_"I'll get it! It's probably Tomoyo and the guys with the movie!" Meiling yelled as she walked to the front door, and made sure through the peep hole it was the expected visitors. After identifying them, she let them in. The guys were clad in normal clothes, but Tomoyo was in her lavender pajamas with a long overcoat so she didn't get so many stares at the video rentals store._

_"Come on in, took you guys forever…" she grumbled, and called for the Kinomoto siblings. _

_Syaoran's cheeks flushed as he saw Sakura in her pajamas, and Eriol lost his cool, calm composure for a moment when Tomoyo took off her jacket. Meiling snickered and stalked off, both guys glaring at her. Meiling noticed Touya in the kitchen, pulling more stuff from the cupboard._

_"Hungry?" she shot, staring at his boxer-clad cute butt, but now with a t-shirt. Touya turned around to glare, but something about the way she looked got his heart to stop for a millisecond. Soon, he was back to himself._

_"Starving. Three teenaged girls, and three growing boys, we're gonna need more food"_

_Meiling rolled her eyes as she grabbed some of the stuff Touya was holding. "Growing? You're a freaking _giant

_Touya gave a cocky grin. "I'll take that as a compliment. I grew two more centimeters between the beginning of this month and yesterday."_

_"Technicalities…" Meiling grumbled as she brought the food to the table. On her way back, she noticed the two couples hadn't moved from the front door area. "OI! ENOUGH WITH THE PDA'S AND GET OVER HERE AND PUT IN THE MOVIES!!!" _

_The four discontinued their lip-locks from their respective partners. The guys glared and the girls stuck out their tongues._

_"Use that somewhere else" came the same amused, cocky voice behind Meiling. Meiling snickered at the boys and Tomoyo's flushed expressions, and laughed at Sakura's "Hoe? I don't get it!"_

_Due to the fact it was Tomoyo that picked out the movie, the six were forced to watch some boring chick flick. Tomoyo and Sakura were totally into it, while Syaoran and Eriol used their cell phones to SMS each other, so their girlfriends wouldn't be offended by their insults of the movie. Meiling felt like she was about to fall asleep, so she stood up and mumbled something about getting fresh air and left. Touya glanced at her while she left, and silently jumped over and behind the couch he was sitting on, grabbing the blanket he covered himself in and followed her to the backyard. _

_Touya approached her cautiously and caught her shivering. He wrapped the blanket around her as she jumped in surprise._

_"Don't want the brat catching a cold, now do we?" and moving his foot just in time as she tried to stomp on it. Touya started to laugh. Meiling stared at his face, admiring the way the moon highlighted his handsome features. Touya noticed her staring. "What? Something on my face?" he asked, moving his hand to his face._

_Meiling gave a small smile. "No, it's perfect…" she murmured, cheeks turning pink as she realized what she just said. Touya froze, as his face, too, started to flush. Meiling coughed and stared up at the stars._

_Touya turned his gaze towards the sky as well, glancing at Meiling every couple seconds, before he decided to tug the hair tie out of her hair, ignoring her cry of protest. "Your hair might annoy you, but it looks better down. If you cut it to about shoulder length, it'll look cuter and it won't be as much as a hassle…" he whispered, calming her down, as she fingered a lock of black hair, blushing._

_"Maybe I will…" she whispered back, still playing with that lock of hair. Touya removed it from her fingers and stared into her ruby-red eyes. Meiling looked up into his chocolate-brown ones and fidgeted under their gaze and unreadable expression. Before she knew what was happening, he leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against hers. Meiling was shocked, as such a simple kiss brought shivers down her spine, and her whole body started to tingle. As he pulled away, Meiling surprised him by pulling him back to her, fingers now buried into his hair and pulling gently. Touya smiled into the kiss and wrapped his hands around her slim waist and pulled her closer. After a few minutes, they broke apart, panting._

_"I love you, Li Meiling…"_

_Meiling was shocked, but smiling. "I love you too, Kinomoto Touya…" she murmured before pulling him to her again_

_**End Flashback**_

Meiling sighed in content as she turned to stare at his sleeping face, and brushed his hair out of his eyes. She frowned, feeling how much bonier than usual he was, and mumbled about his hair being too long, and how he wasn't taking good care of himself.

"Baka…" she whispered sadly, thinking about how it was her fault.

_**Flashback...7 years…**_

_Meiling tripped on her way to the coffee shop she was supposed to meet Tomoyo, Eriol, Sakura, Syaoran, and Touya. She almost cried out and closed her eyes, waiting for impact, but it never came. Opening her eyes, she gazed into the laughing brown eyes of her boyfriend for two years, Touya. She grinned as she let himself be pulled up and he kissed her on the nose. Giggling, Meiling hugged him and kissed his cheek. He grinned and fingered her now shoulder-length hair._

_"Hey…" he whispered into her hair._

_"Hey!" she said with a grin. "Let's go, we're late for meeting with the others!" she cried, dragging him inside to find only Eriol and Tomoyo._

_"Where're the Kaijuu and the Gaki?" Touya asked in confusion, earning a swat on the chest from Meiling. _

_Eriol shrugged. "If it was just Sakura-san, I wouldn't be surprised, she's always late…but Syaoran's always punctual…"_

_Tomoyo leaned against Eriol and closed her eyes. "I'm just wondering what was so important they wanted to tell us about…"_

_"Well wonder no more!" came a cheery voice._

_"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo and Meiling cried, hugging her. "So what's the big news?" Tomoyo demanded, looking at Sakura and Syaoran, who looked the happiest they ever have._

_"Well…" Sakura started with a grin, pulling Syaoran's hand into her own and smiling at him._

_Syaoran grinned back, eyes showing nothing but adoration, as he looked at the rest of the group._

_"We…" he continued, pulling her into his arms._

_"WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!" screeched Sakura, flashing the huge diamond ring on her left hand. Tomoyo and Meiling gasped and squealed, jumping up and down, grabbing Sakura into a giant screaming hug. Eriol stood up and clapped Syaoran on the back._

_"Congratulations! You finally did it!" he yelled with a beaming smile._

_Syaoran looked a little embarrassed. "Well yeah, I had to make sure it was perfect, so I had to look through my old journal entries to find out which day I set eyes on her…" he mumbled._

_"KAWAII!!!!" screamed Tomoyo, with dreamy eyes._

_Touya wore a small smile and faced Syaoran, expression unreadable. Meiling became alert._

_"TOUYA, if you ruin this day for Syaoran and Sakura, I'm breaking up with you!" Meiling yelled, giving a warning glare._

_Touya ignored her and just lifted his hand. Syaoran expected the worst, and closed his eyes, but felt a hand placed on his shoulder. Confused, he opened his eyes to look at Touya, who grinned._

_"Welcome to the family, Gaki! You're gonna hate it…" he congratulated with a wink. _

_Sakura sighed in relief, noticing she hadn't breathed since Touya approached her fiancée. With a cry, she launched herself onto her brother, who laughed and swung her around. _

_Meiling grinned and hugged Touya when he released his sister to the man she loved. _

_"You've matured, Kinomoto Touya…" she whispered to him._

_He shot her a grin. "Were you really going to breakup with me if I protested?"_

_Meiling paused to think about it._

_"Nope, I love you too much!" she declared, stood on tiptoes and kissed his nose._

_Touya beamed and pulled her in for a proper kiss. "I wouldn't let you breakup with me. I'd keep begging until you took me back…" he murmured against her lips._

_Meiling smiled into the kiss, broke it, and hugged him tighter, if possible._

_**Later that Night**_

_Meiling returned to her empty apartment right when the phone rang._

_"Moshi moshi, Meiling desu."_

_"Meiling."_

_Her head shot up in alarm. "Auntie…" she murmured, "what's the occasion?"_

_"I'm aware Xiaolang proposed to the Cardmistress, yes?"_

_Meiling sat down, ready to defend Sakura and Syaoran's relationship._

_"Yes, and never in my 21 years have I seen Syaoran so happy."_

_Yelan laughed on the other line. "I understand that, I'm very happy with my son's choice, so no need to be all defensive, Meiling."_

_Meiling automatically relaxed and laughed. "Good,"_

_Yelan then frowned. "But now the elders have a problem…"_

_**Half an Hour later**_

_Touya moved out of the old Kinomoto house several months ago and now owned a small apartment walking distance from Meiling's. Walking out of the shower, with only a towel around his waist, he heard a knock from the front door. Puzzled, he glanced at the clock. 1:30 am. "Who could that be…" he grumbled, making a note to himself to put up a peephole, and opened the door._

_His heart stopped when he saw the love of his life standing there, drenched from the rain, tears running down her cheeks, eyes red and puffy from crying, and panting from running all the way there. _

_"Mei…what…" he asked, concerned._

_"Shut up…" she whispered, throwing herself into his bare chest. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her shivering form as she cried into his chest. _

_Touya frowned, and closed the door. He lifted her up and carried her to the couch, seating her in his lap, as he rocked her back and forth, rubbing her back, trying to soothe her sobs. When she was finally calm, they sat in comfortable silence._

_"Syaoran's mom called me when I got home…" she whispered, voice hoarse. Touya said nothing, but his body language showed he was concerned what his sister's future mother-in-law would have to say about their engagement._

_"She's happy Syaoran's settling down, and with someone he loves…" she continued, getting sadder. Touya pulled her closer, confused. _

'She's saying that like she doesn't have someone she loves…'

_"But the elders aren't happy…" she murmured, more tears rolling down her cheeks._

_Touya glanced down, noticing more tears. He turned her face towards him, making sure she saw the concern in his eyes, but that only made her cry even more. The next sentence she said made his heart stop and his blood turn cold._

_"Since the marriage between me and him went down the drain, they want me to marry someone else of magic so the Li Clan remains of magical blood." She cried even harder, hugging him closer to her, as if clinging onto him would change the elders' decision._

_Touya sat there in a daze, unsure of what to do. His body was numb, and he didn't know what to say. The couple sat in the sound of Meiling's sobs and the ticks of the clock._

_"Please…Touya…say something…" she cried, breath brushing across his neck. _

_She felt something warm drop onto her bare shoulder. Turning her head, she noticed Touya was crying. Her eyes pricked with fresh new tears as she wrapped her arms around his bare torso._

_"Please say something…"_

_"What can I say?" he asked back, sadly, and choking on tears. "I love you, and there's no way I'm gonna let you go without a fight…"_

_"No…" she whispered, "You're gonna have to…"_

_The pair just sat there in each others company, tears mingling with each others. _

_"Touya…" she whispered._

_"Hmm…" he responded._

_"I don't want to live the rest of my life knowing I gave myself to a man I didn't love…" _

_Touya was alert, looking into her eyes._

_"…Please…" she whispered, kissing him on the neck._

_**NO LEMON, THIS WILL BE STRICTLY PG-13!!!**_

_**A while later…**_

_Meiling relaxed in Touya's arms, both covered by his bedsheets. She sighed in content and snuggled closer to him, pressing her body against his. His arms tightened around her form and kissed her on the forehead._

_"No regrets?"_

_Meiling smiled into his eyes. "No, of course not…" and fell asleep._

_Touya held her close, and a single tear fell from his eye. _

'Why am I not meant for love? First it was Kaho…then Yuki…now Meiling? Why…'

_**End Flashback**_

TBC

I do believe this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Sad, isn't it. REVIEW PLEASE


	3. Flashbacks pt2

Touya woke up, finding Meiling's bare form still pressed up against him, his arms still around her. Remembering the events of last night, he frowned, kissing her on the forehead. He got up from the bed, careful not to wake her. He dug around his closet for his robe and went to prepare breakfast. He poured two cups of coffee and went back to his room to call Meiling, only to see her already awake, hugging his shirt to her, eyes closed.

"Can I keep this? So I don't miss you…" she whispered, sensing his presence.

He sighed and sat down beside her and kissed her cheek and hugged her to him.

"Of course, but I have something else planned for you to remember me…" he murmured and stood back up. Extending his arm to the top of his closet, he pulled out a tiny box and pulled something out of it. Making his way back to her, he pulled a small silver chain. "Turn around and close your eyes," he ordered gently. Nodding and confused, she did as she was told.

Soon she felt something cold slip around her neck. She looked down when he was finished, and gasped, finding a gold ring with a ruby surrounded by tiny diamonds resting on a silver chain on her neck.

"I was going to ask you the question soon…but I guess now it's out of the question…but it would go to waste if you didn't have it…so just keep it…" he whispered, breath tickling her ear as tears sprung in her eyes again. She wheeled around and sobbed into his chest. Touya wrapped his arms around her, and willed himself not to cry.

Touya and Meiling entered the café they were in the day before, hand-in-hand. There they found Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo, and Eriol. All stood up, expecting to hear the same news they heard yesterday from Sakura and Syaoran. Seeing their grim faces, they sat back down, deciding it was probably best to sit down for what they had to say.

"Meiling?" Syaoran questioned, eyes concerned of the frown on her face.

Tomoyo gasped, causing everyone to give her a strange look.

"Gomen…" she whispered, eyes still on Meiling and Touya, "It's just…MEILING-CHAN'S WEARING THE SAME CLOTHES SHE WORE YESTERDAY!"

Color drained from Meiling and Touya's face, as everyone else gasped, noticing it was true. Meiling blushed.

_'Shit…'_

Eriol grinned. "So…you two were quite _busy_ last night, ne?" he asked with a wink.

Sakura just screamed. "I WOULD RATHER NOT HEAR ABOUT MY BROTHER'S…_ACTIONS_ OF LAST NIGHT!"

Syaoran settled her down, sweatdrop clear on his face, apologizing to the people who turned to stare at her.

Meiling sighed and looked up at Touya, to find strength. Seeing the pained look in his eyes, her strength depleted a little more, as she frowned deeper. Seeing this, Touya squeezed her hand, trying to give a reassuring look.

"You have to do this…" he whispered, causing everyone to be concerned.

"Meiling-chan?"

"Meiling-chan, Daijobu?"

"Meiling-san?"

"Meiling?"

"Mei…"

Meiling squeezed her eyes shut, tears making their way out, as she buried her head in her lover's chest. Touya took his free arm and pulled her closer.

She breathed in his scent, trying to memorize it, although she still had a week before she had to leave. Mustering every ounce of courage she had, she turned back to the other two happy couples.

_'Why can't we be like them…?'_

"I'm getting married…to someone else."

Sakura and Tomoyo shot straight up, with "NANDE?" on their lips in a split second. Eriol looked confused, and Syaoran froze, turning to Touya with a demanding look on his face. Touya simply looked back at his future brother-in-law, eyes expressing the pain he was feeling.

Meiling looked down.

"The Elders…they want me to marry someone of magic…I've dishonored the clan by being of non-magic, and I must now redeem myself and follow their orders…"

"Demo, Onii-chan has magic! Tell that to the Elders!"

Meiling shook her head. "He _was_ of magic, but he gave it away, remember?"

Sakura slumped down, remembering and looked at her brother with tear-stained eyes.

Syaoran frowned and slammed his fist on the table. "That's not a reason! I'll talk to the Elders myself! This is an outrage!"

Touya smiled at the young Li, happy he was so concerned and so willing to help him, but shook his head.

"You think your Mother hasn't tried? If they won't even listen to her, the current Leader of the Clan, what makes you think they'll listen to her son?"

Syaoran froze. _'Mother has already tried? That's not good…'_ "KUSO!" he cursed, sitting back down.

Tomoyo had tears running down her face. "How can they do this to you? Don't they care you won't be happy? Don't they care they're breaking hearts in their meddling? The Clan Elders are monsters!" she cried, launching her arms around Meiling, sobbing onto her shoulder.

The Chinese martial artist cried too, burying her head into Tomoyo's shoulder.

"They really don't care. That's just the way they are…I have no power over them…No one does…"

_The end of the week-the night before Meiling leaves_

The drive to her apartment was silent, but it wasn't the same silence that comforted Meiling nights before, but it was awkward, and neither of them knew quite the right words to say.

She unlocked the door and let herself and Touya inside, kicking off her high heels and tossing her keys into the bowl beside the door. He simply pulled his sneakers off and quietly followed her in, as they continued in silence.

Soon she was at breaking point.

"TOUYA, PLEASE SAY SOMETHING!" she half screamed, throwing herself into his chest once again, "I hate it when we're this silent, it's just not like us…just…please…say something…"

Touya resisted the urge to cry with her and wrapped his arms around her once again. "What is there to say?

"I don't know, just…_something_…"

Touya carried her over to her couch and sat down, pulling her onto his lap. In response, she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him close to her and just simply holding him. He gently kissed all over her face and neck, whispering little calming phrases into her ears until she cried no more. Sitting once more in comfortable silence, Meiling rethought of her situation, and decided it was time for them to talk.

"Touya…"

He grunted.

"D'you…d'you still love me?"

Touya parted from her for a second and stared into her eyes. "Of course I do, and I will till the day I die…no, I'll love you forever, even beyond the grave..."

Meiling gave a small smile. He always knew the right words to say. "Good, and I want you to know that even though I'm marrying that…other guy, I still love you and I always will…you're the only one for me, Kinomoto Touya…" she pulled him into a deep kiss, pouring in all the love she felt for him into that one, passionate kiss. She didn't need to say anything, Touya understood, and responded with all his love for her.

Meiling suddenly broke the kiss and jumped over to her stereo system and pushed a couple buttons.

_Come a Little Closer- Brandy_

_I know that it's late, _

_And maybe and I shouldn't be so into you.  
It's just that tonight, _

_I am so taken, I'm fallen for you   
When I look in your eyes I can see, _

_A million possibilities  
And I know you'll be leaving me soon,_

_But tonight -_

Touya grinned. This was their song. The song that played when they first danced together at a small gathering of friends. The song that played when he realized he loved her.__

Come a little bit closer, 

_Let me hold you baby, _

_I will be good to you, _

_And we can try, _

_To forget tomorrow, _

_Make it last forever tonight.  
_

Softly swaying to the music, the couple danced together, Touya carefully leading with grace and skill unexpected and surprising to everyone but Meiling herself. Only she ever danced with him, and only she will ever.

_  
So if you must go, _

_Know that I'll be missing you wishing you closer,_

_So let's make the most of these moments together We'll never forget _

_And it's breaking my heart cause I know, _

_That tomorrow you'll be miles away _

_And I catch myself wanting so much more, _

_Tonight - come closer  
_

Touya pulled her closer to him, memorizing her every curve. Memorizing her smell. Everything he could before she left.

_  
Come a little bit closer, _

_Let me hold you baby, _

_I will be good to you, _

_And we can try, _

_To forget tomorrow, _

_Make it last forever tonight.  
_

"I love you…" he murmured into her hair.

_  
So if you're leaving me now, _

_Baby I don't know how,_

_I will never get over you, _

_Because you opened my eyes, _

_To this love that's inside, oh baby, baby, _

_Don't ever leave me_

Meiling hugged him tighter. "I love you too…" she whispered into his chest, almost inaudible. However, Touya heard. He always did.

_Come a little bit closer, _

_Let me hold you baby, _

_I will be good to you, _

_And we can try, _

_To forget tomorrow, _

_Make it last forever tonight._

Meiling didn't want anyone to see her off at the airport. She knew she wouldn't be able to take it. She had left Touya's house at the crack of dawn, scribbling him a long letter, reminding him of her love for him and how it would never change. She SMSed everyone, explaining she loved them but didn't want to trouble them, and left, not telling anyone of her departure or of her flight. Boarding the Li private jet to Hong Kong, she told the pilot to just leave. As the Japanese archipelago faded and grew smaller, a tiny tear made its way out of her ruby red eyes.

Hours later, Meiling got off the plane and made her way to the limo, ignoring the camera flashes around her, reporters and their questions, and shut the door. Wei drove off towards the Li Manor, leaving Meiling blasting Linkin Park on her Discman, until he pulled to a stop, got off, ran around the limo, and opened her door. Meiling eyed the manor with no expression.

"Tadaima…no. Wo hui lai le…"

Yelan walked out of the door, a small smile gracing her face as she caught sight of her niece. She made her way down the marble steps to greet her, but Meiling shook her head no need. She made her way up the stairs and met her halfway, hugging her favorite Aunt.

"I'm sorry, Meiling…"

"It's not your fault I dishonored the clan…"

"But it wasn't your fault either," Yelan told her firmly as she broke away, "it's all fate's fault…"

Meiling grinned. "Thank you, Auntie…"

Touya woke up with the biggest grin on his face, memories of last night fresh on his mind. He then remembered Meiling was leaving today, and turned around to get dressed, before something finally _clicked_.

_'Where's Mei?'_

In a panic, Touya got dressed at lightning speed and ran downstairs, before he realized it was 11:30 in the morning…her flight was at 9. He swore and punched the wall, wincing of the crack he heard from his hand, and examined it quickly. He didn't feel any pain; he was too numb to realize anything. He glanced up at the cement wall and swore again at the hole.

"…This…is gonna hurt later…" he mumbled, dragging himself back up the stairs, back into his room.

He threw himself on the bed and heard the crinkling of paper.

Jumping up, he noticed he had crushed a folded piece of paper, with Meiling's untidy scrawl on it. Touya struggled to unfold it with his one good hand; although he couldn't feel the pain in his right hand…he couldn't feel his right hand.

"Damn…need to go see doc later…" mumbled Touya.

"'Ya-kun" it read,

_You lazy ass…it's probably noon-ish by the time you get this, being the sleepy pig you are…but you know I love you anyway. Before you get mad (which you probably already did, I'll inform the landlady I'll pay for the hole in the stairway wall.) _"Damn she's good…" Touya grumbled_, I just didn't wanna deal with…you know, saying goodbye all over again. My heart's breaking over and over again just writing this letter, but it'd be worse if I said this in person. I love you Kinomoto Touya, you know it. I love you. I love you. Even those three simple words can't fully describe how I feel for you. That simple 4-lettered word LOVE doesn't even begin how much I feel for you. I love you as much as Yukito-kun loves food. I love you as much as Tomoyo-chan loves the word 'Kawaii'. I love you as much as a nerd loves his computer. I love you as much as a fat kid loves cake ;). I love you, Touya, always have, and I always will._

_LOVE,   
Li Meiling_

Her writing was smudged from her tears. Touya added more of his own, before folding the letter carefully and putting it carefully in his drawer of "memories". In it there were things that used to belong to his mother, to Kaho, to Yuki, to Sakura, and plenty of pictures of Meiling. He pushed the drawer shut, kissed his fingers and touched the drawer.

"…Sayonara…"

TBC


End file.
